Should I reach out to builder or adjust at home? Gap between lock and barrel

I have done jobs,not related to M.L, for more people that I can count and it wasn't a whole lot different than putting a rifle kit together. The one thing people in bussiness hate is to repair something someone else has messed with. If you work on the problem the builder would not like for you to send it to him. It is many times harder to fix something someone else has worked and sometime impossible without using new parts. Send your gun back explaining what your displeasure is and if he is a fair man he will fix it or make restitutions for his mistake.

The builder is going to take it back and look at it. Will keep folks posted. Appreciating that I really know nothing about flintlocks (learned a lot here), is there anything else I should point out aside from the sight and lock inletting?

Someone mentioned something about the trigger for example and as-cast parts. It sounds like a file / sandpaper should have been taken to the wood at the base of the barrel, behind the lock, which is uneven and proud reaching beyond the base of the barrel. Maybe that’s it or one aspect along the way.

Personally, I would get my $2350 back and go somewhere else.

I agree this is a cluster. Wood left around the lock mortise, so many other things. Yes, this guy needs outed, to save someone else from being screwed by him. Quality parts do you no good if you don't know how to put them together. This is an example of someone taking $900 in quality parts, and making a mediocre $400 rifle.

58 Caliber said:

Personally, I would get my $2350 back and go somewhere else.

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It is difficult to impossible to assess the quality of a build from pictures alone. The gun needs to be handled to determine to profile of the wood in most cases. But in your case the pictures speak for themselves and show that the builder, not necessarily the company owner, does not have an understanding of proper stock architecture and fitment. For the price you paid, a Kibler would have been a much better option.

Is that trigger guard pin that’s protruding into the lock cavity contacting anything on the lock internals? Indentations in the bottom of the inlet also look like the bridle could be making contact.
If you take the lock apart and just install the plate, do you still have a gap?
Even though I’m a novice builder, that rifle is very sloppily made. Poor inletting, gaps under sights, crudely finished parts, etc. I think my 8 year old grandson could do a better job of inletting that lock. I’d be real disappointed spending that kind of money for it.

Fitzhugh Williams said:

It is difficult to impossible to assess the quality of a build from pictures alone. The gun needs to be handled to determine to profile of the wood in most cases. But in your case the pictures speak for themselves and show that the builder, not necessarily the company owner, does not have an understanding of proper stock architecture and fitment. For the price you paid, a Kibler would have been a much better option.

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Could have gotten two Kiblers for that money.

Just because they advertise that they are a custom gun maker. Doesn't mean they are a skilled gun maker.... and I don't care how many they made...
That is why I build my own guns.....

After seeing the additional photos, I have only one recommendation. As someone else stated, send it back, get your money and go somewhere else.

That gun is poorly done in every respect, and will never finish into a proper gun. The builder should be ashamed. As a builder myself, I won't sell any gun I wouldn't be proud to own. And if that builder is proud of that gun, then he should probably just build for himself from here on out.

Sorry you're having such a disappointing experience. There's nothing like a well made custom gun when it's done right. Each one has a look and feel all it's own. They beg to be handled, touched, carried. Put this behind you as soon as you can. Learn from your experience, and find a builder who can deliver what you're looking for.

Personally, I would get my $2350 back and go somewhere else.

Do that, and buy a Kibler. You will have a great rife with no shortcomings and a few bucks in your wallet.

I added a few more thoughts:

IMHO $2350 is way to cheap for a quality rifle that is made for you. IT is very amateurish. I see lots of mistakes and shortcuts. Referring to post 18, the barrel is inletted crooked. That is tough to "fix". The barrel needs to be in straight. That accounts for the lock bolster gap. Several other issues were photographed. The side plate bolt holed were wallowed out. Crooked front sight. The lock is as cast. The stock around the breech plug is done wrong. I see a rifle made by someone who lacks skills or is slipping with age and selling a past reputation.

It can not be made "right". It can be made to shoot. That said, I hate working on other peoples messes. For that reason you may have a hard time getting help. How much more should be spent on it? I see many hours of messing with it. Do real gunsmiths work for free? Maybe $1000 more to clean it up? You might have to drop a lot on money down this rabbit hole. It may be a precarve stock was used. That is about two strikes before any chips are made. Then again you will not get a nice plank built rifle for $2350.

If he takes it back for inspection, good. Once he has it in hand, I would try to persuade him to refund. Maybe say you did not realized his style of work was "historically correct rustic". And, that is not for you. You can figure it out. Have others read the letter or email. Be nice, do not confront or criticize. IF he has a following, he can sell it again.

Because sometim

jfaldo said:

Why would anyone recommend the OP fixes this. He paid for a correctly finished product and obviously got a piece of garbage instead. This builder has been called out so many times they should be out of business by now. If the one I received from them were anywhere near that bad I would of requested a full refund. Hopefully you paid on a credit card then you can get your money back and then send them that pile of junk back.

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Sometimes it's simply cheaper and easier to fix yourself and be done with it. Im talking simply of the issue with the lock. Thats an easy fix.

If I had to spend money to send the gun back, then wait some inordinate amount of time for the gun to be fixed, then wait some more for it to be sent back, and hopefully it doesn't get damaged on the way to and from, then you see why some of us are recommending he fix it himself.

If this builder is known to do shoddy work then why isn't his name being called out so people don't get ripped off in the future?

The more I look I wonder. But having held / shot a flintlock on one occasion before this, nothing stood out to me at first glance. I could share this thread with the builder with the rifle heading back?

I’m not able to provide the appropriate feedback unless things were listed out for me. I came to the forum given this gap / lock item, but it seems this got spotlighted beyond my intentions or expectations. I guess it’s telling when the names of other builders I recognize are liking certain comments.

I doubt you’ll get any money back… and from what I know of the builder… I wouldn’t send it back to be fixed. I would rather contact someone from this forum and see if they would be willing to fix some of these issues, You’ll get farther that way I think.
The lock would bother me, the front site is a simple and easy fix. My front sight on my Lyman is crooked like that, don’t ask me how that happened.. I’ve gotten used to it and honestly don’t mind it now. I shoot in woodswalks and normally do quite well with my crooked front sight.. lol
It’s an easy fix, but I havnt gotten around to it yet.

Any name recommendations for builders that can refurb / correct? I used a gunsmith once before (Hamilton Bowen) in the SA revolver world to work on an item. He later communicated directly with Ruger and divided certain repairs / tasks between them. Seemed like a good path. If they just took up the rifle themselves (obviously at a cost), that’s fine, but I suppose that’s the disappointing reality. Not sure if anyone could take this under a reasonable lead time - I waited 18 months to get the rifle originally. Received it in March, and been pondering over it without shooting more than two shots through it since.

The makers name is plainly visible on the top barrel flat. Which by the way looks crooked also. I have one of his guns (it's in my profile picture) and yes I fixed a couple things on it that weren't correct, but this is way beyond that.

I went back and looked at the photos again
I see the name but no way can I read it. Even zoomed in still can't make it out. Why doesn't someone just mention it?

jfaldo said:

The makers name is plainly visible on the top barrel flat. Which by the way looks crooked also. I have one of his guns (it's in my profile picture) and yes I fixed a couple things on it that weren't correct, but this is way beyond that.

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I see the engraving now that you mentioned it, but can't make it out. Very poor engraving on a custom gun.

That’s not a large gap, easy to fix.


I would inlet the lock deeper, then fit the pan to the barrel with dycem blue, file off the high spots with a diamond file or high grit paper.

Check some of the lock screws, they my need to be filed down.

Lastly i slightly peen the edges of the pan and bolster.

Front sight needs to be re-dovetailed and refit, can be corrected.

The comments about the tang, and barrel being not set, it’s too difficult to tell from a picture online, you’d best send it to a competent flintlock rifle builder before you start working on it.

Inletting looks like it was done hastily.

You mention that the builder is going to take it back and look at it. Is the builder willing to refund your money back or to pay for shipping? If the builder is not paying shipping (which could be up to a few hundred bucks roundtrip), I would check the inletting of the lock first and make sure it is set to the appropriate depth. As previously mentioned, the bolster could be fit but that is more involved and I would not suggest that you do it yourself unless you are familiar with what you are doing. I'm sure you could PM one of the builders here and they would be able to give you some guidance. As far as the front sight, from looking at the picture, the dovetail does not appear to be cut perpendicular to the barrel. The easiest fix for this, if it's metal, is to bend the sight blade and get it perpendicular. If it breaks, weld/braze the base and blade back together perpendicular to the barrel. I would not want to spend any more money on this than I had to. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

waksupi said:

Disagree if you like, but I have had to do it on kit guns, and custom builds. Assuming barrels are cut on perfect planes is a dream. I got hired as a builder because I DID know how to properly fit bolsters.

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waksupi said:

Disagree if you like, but I have had to do it on kit guns, and custom builds. Assuming barrels are cut on perfect planes is a dream. I got hired as a builder because I DID know how to properly fit bolsters.

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Locks always need to be fitted, I’ve never worked on a custom build that did not require the lock to be fitted, any experienced builder would agree with that, even a Kibler kit needs a little fitting.